New York City Murder Rate In 2013 Falls To Levels Not Seen Since 1950s

NYC Murder Rate Falling To Historic Low
Street scene from Broadway at Times Square at twilight - NY Police Department car on duty in the foreground with traffic and numerous illuminated billboards in the background.
Street scene from Broadway at Times Square at twilight - NY Police Department car on duty in the foreground with traffic and numerous illuminated billboards in the background.

The number of homicides in New York City has dropped nearly 27 percent in 2013, putting the city on pace to set a record low.

Newsday reports that, if the current average holds till the end of the year, New York's murder rate could dip back to levels not seen since the 1950s.

As of September 25th, the city recorded 240 murders this year, compared to the 327 murders totaled the same time in 2012.

There were 418 murders total in New York City in 2012, a low number not seen since the '60s.

In June, officials touted the continuing decline in homicides during the first half of this year.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly cited the NYPD's controversial stop and frisk policies as a primary factor in the dip.

"Stop and frisk, believe me, that is one aspect of what we do, we have a whole complex array of tactics and strategies that we use,” Kelly said.

The number of police stops in 2013, however, has also dropped dramatically.

The NYPD's use of stop and frisk has come under intense scrutiny and was recently declared unconstitutional by a federal judge for unfairly targeting minorities in New York City. The New York City Council also passed two bills last month aimed at reining in the police tactic.

Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have launched an aggressive effort to appeal the federal ruling, warning an end to their stop-and-frisk regimen could have a "chilling" effect on the city's crime rate.

This election season, stop and frisk and the city's crime tactics have emerged as a leading issue among city voters.

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